


Cowboy's Jealousy

by satanic_panic



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Fluffy Ending, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22409722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satanic_panic/pseuds/satanic_panic
Summary: Arthur gets jealous.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Reader
Kudos: 93





	Cowboy's Jealousy

Arthur clenched his jaw tightly as he looked over at you and Javier, sat at the scout fire, smiling and laughing and nudging each other and telling jokes and chatting; he had never been so jealous of another member of the Van Der Linde gang before, but as he watched you and Javier, he couldn't help but to feel the cold droplets of jealousy begin to trickle down his spine and sink into his skin, infecting his blood. He sighed, scratching his thumb along his bottom lip and shaking his head, walking over to his tent and flopping down on the bed but soon sitting upright with his knees up, pulling his journal out and scribbling down how he felt, his handwriting not as neat as usual. 

"Arthur!" Hosea called, trotting over with a cup of coffee in one hand, a sandwich in the other; he handed both to the younger outlaw and stood by the little table.

"What?" Arthur grumbled, trying to act casual as he hurried to put his journal and pencil away. 

Hosea frowned a little, he knew all too well how Arthur felt, but there were other things to focus on. "I need a favour… can you head out to Emerald Ranch and meet up with Trelawny?"

Moving to sit at the edge of his bed, Arthur growled. "Why?"

"He lost his horse," Hosea explained, "something about it got spooked after a couple of guys had a duel nearby." 

Arthur muttered something to himself as he stood up, putting his hat on and rubbing the back of his neck. "Fine. Alright." 

"Thank you," Hosea replied sincerely. "Just don't get yourself killed." 

Arthur waved him off as he began to trudge toward his own horse, a proud stallion, warped brindle arabian, that went by the name of War Admiral. "I'm just wranglin' a horse, how hard can it be?"

♤♡◇♧

The ride to Emerald Ranch was lonesome for Arthur, as you usually accompanied him on such adventures, and he couldn't quite understand why he was feeling so blue; more often than not, Arthur enjoyed his own company, preferring to be left alone with his thoughts than getting distracted by someone blabbering in his ear… but you were different. You didn't talk his ear off, you asked questions that he was happy to answer, you seemed to have this way of talking that wasn't boring or made him angry, he actually quite liked talking to you, and didn't mind opening up to you so much… but then he thought about the way that you had been acting with Javier, and he sighed. Arthur knew he was a tough man to feel affection for - an outlaw who robbed and killed and lied and fought, stubborn as a mule and rough as sandpaper, coarse and bristling as if he had hackles, quiet as low thunder, snarky and sarcastic when he wanted to be. He was a tough man to be affectionate toward. Someone like you would never want to be with him. Someone like you deserved better. 

All that had to wait, though, thoughts crashing to a halt when he saw Trelawny on the side of the road, arms crossed and a slight pout on his lips. 

"Arthur! Oh thank goodness you're here, dear boy!" 

Getting off his horse, Arthur looked around. "Trelawny." 

Trelawny seemed relieved as he pat Arthur on the shoulder and cleared his throat. "You have to help me, Arthur, my horse-" 

"I know," Arthur interrupted, "Hosea told me… where'd it run off to?"

Trelawny pointed in the direction, and allowed Arthur to go around looking for the brown and white horse; when he found it, it was bucking and kicking and neighing with alarm. With a calm voice, like the end of a crash of thunder, Arthur spoke to the horse, slowly approaching before grasping the reigns and leading it back to Trelawny. 

"Oh, thank you!" The dandy gentleman exclaimed. "If there's anything I can do for you-"

"I don't get why you didn't just grab the damn horse yourself," Arthur began, handing the reigns over, "but, since you said if there's anythin' you can do… I got somethin'." 

Trelawny furrowed his brows. "What is it, dear boy?"

"(y/n)," Arthur explained, "earlier today, I saw 'em all over Javier, and I-"

"You're jealous," Trelawny said. "Aren't you?" 

Reluctant, Arthur nodded and grumbled again. "I guess." 

"You should make a grand gesture," Trelawny advised. "Trust me on this, dear boy, nothing screams romance like a grand gesture! Perhaps duel for (y/n)'s affections, or gather as many flowers as you can and deliver them from a  _ secret admirer _ , and then admit it was you. Grand gestures, Arthur! The pinnacle of romance." 

♤♡◇♧

Upon arriving back at camp, Arthur searched around for you, only to find you with Sean; clenching his jaw like he did earlier, Arthur trudged off to his tent. Leaving you to look in his direction, confused and concerned. 

"What is it?" Sean inquired. 

You frowned, shaking your head. "Arthur… I feel like he's been avoiding me all day." 

"Oh, bit of a lover's quarrel, is it?" He chuckled, grinning widely when you slapped his shoulder. 

"I just don't get what I did wrong," you whined. "I mean… did I upset him?" 

Sean shook his head, turning serious for a moment. "(y/n), you could  _ never  _ upset that grumpy old fuck. He says he hates everybody the same, but… he's got a thing for you." 

You rolled your eyes. "No he ain't. Don't be so damn stupid, MacGuire." 

He beamed. "Oh, really? Then why did I catch him drawin' ya in that journal of his the other day? Had a dreamy look in his eyes, he did, and even weirder, a fuckin'  _ smile _ !" 

"That's bullshit if I ever heard it!" You scoffed, looking over at Arthur, who avoided your gaze. "What if he hates me now?" 

"Arthur would never hate you," Sean told you. "You could probably rip his heart out, and he wouldn't say a damn word." 

"Sean…" you growled. "Be  _ serious _ , please?"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Just go talk to the man! Quit lookin' like a kicked dog." 

You knew he was right, and that you were better off doing as he said, so you got up, and slowly and cautiously approached Arthur, who was sat on a log on the edge of camp, looking over the horizon with a sad look in his eyes and a frown on his lips. 

"Um, Arthur?" You cursed how your voice trembled a little. 

He grunted, not even turning round to face you. "What?" 

"Can I sit with you?" You asked quietly, and when he agreed, you gingerly sat right beside him. 

"Sean and Javier busy?" He asked, a slight hint of something awful and green in his voice that made the adrenaline rush to your veins and a certain excitement bubble in your stomach. 

"No… I just figured, y'know, I ain't really seen you all day, and…" you trailed off, forgetting and abandoning where you were going in the first place. 

Arthur shook his head. "You ain't gotta feel like you  _ have  _ to spend time with me, (y/n)." 

You frowned, furrowing your brows at the comment. "I don't feel that way… believe it or not, I actually really like spending time with you… grumpy as you can be, sometimes." 

A dry chuckle left his lips. "Sure." 

"Is everything alright?" You asked softly. "I mean, you've been…  _ off… _ all day." 

"I'm fine." He said in the tone of voice that told you he was anything but. 

"Please talk to me, Arthur," you said softly, reaching for his hand. "Please?" 

Unable to muster the strength to ignore you or to tell you to leave him alone, Arthur sighed. "It's me, alright? When I… shit, when I saw you with Javier earlier, I got…  _ jealous _ , even though I know I ain't got no right to be - you ain't mine." 

You smiled a little, holding his hand tightly as you did so. "I would be yours, if you asked me to." 

He furrowed his brows as he looked at you, voice getting slightly higher in pitch. "Really?"

You nodded. "Really. I know you think you ain't good looking, and that you ain't easy to love, but… honestly? It was easy enough for me to fall for you, and in my opinion, I think you're the most handsome man alive." 

Arthur managed to crack a little broken smile. "Would you be mine, (y/n)?" 

Leaning over to kiss his cheek, you bit back the urge to grin. "In a heartbeat… and by the way, earlier today? With Javier? He was trying to get me to tell you how I feel, same with Sean, really." 

"I know the feelin'," he chuckled. "I had to ask  _ Trelawny  _ for advice." 

"Never do that," you laughed softly. "I think I'd rather get attacked by a grizzly than ask him for romantic advice." 

There was a final question on Arthur's mind, but as he thought of it, it seemed a bit… forward, a bit too rushed, but nevertheless, he knew he had to ask, or else it would eat away at him and distract him. "Would you, uh, would you… do you wanna sleep in my tent, with me, tonight?" 

"Yes!" You excitedly yelped before clearing your throat and trying to act calm, cool, casual. "I mean, um, sure, yeah, why not?" 

  
  
  



End file.
